Revolutionary modern dancer and choreographer Jóse Limón was described by the New York Times as “the greatest male dancer of his own or any other time.” Limón: A Life Beyond Words examines the life and work of this man whose life forever changed the face of modern dance. The inspiration to make this film comes from Limón’s own statement: “All choreography is autobiographical, whether one intends it or not.”

It looks at his major works in the context of the times in which he lived and his own life. Limón is portrayed as a man who dealt with his bi-cultural conflicts through his art, in his case choreography. As a choreographer he was unafraid of major issues – religion, colonialism, love, jealousy, betrayal and death – themes which are as relevant to audiences today as when Limón first grappled with them.

Born in Mexico in 1908, Limón migrated as a child to the United States, where he eventually became a renowned dancer and choreographer, and was sent around the world by the U.S. State Department as a ‘cultural ambassador.’ The company he founded in 1947 continues to perform nationally and internationally twenty-eight years after his death, and his heroic and passionate dances continue to appeal to contemporary audiences.

Limón’s life story is unveiled through his unfinished autobiography in which Limón wrote of his childhood in Mexico, his family’s flight north during the Mexican Revolution, his struggles with English, and the inevitable discovery of his true language, that of the expressive human body. The film also combines interviews with family members and colleagues, archival photographs, and archival and contemporary performances. Excerpts from several CBC productions include “The Moor’s Pavane,” “The Traitor,” and “Emperor Jones,” all beautifully filmed in the fifties.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS+

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Malachi Roth
Director

Malachi Roth has written and directed two short films, “Plain English,” sponsored by the School of Visual Arts, and “Sour Instinct,” which was named best experimental film in the 1994 Philadelphia International Film Festival. Since graduating from the Tyler School of Art in 1990, where he studied graphic design, he has lived in New York City. He has been working on Limón: a Life Beyond Words for four years. He assembled the professional personnel for this project, developed the script, which integrated Limón’s unfinished autobiography and other writings and has also been the primary editor.

Ann Vachon
Producer

Ann Vachon performed with the Jóse Limón Dance Company over a period of twenty years, and directed the Philadelphia-based modern dance company, Dance Conduit, from 1981 to 1993. She is a professor of dance at Temple University, where she teaches choreography, Limón technique and repertory, and Dance on Video. In 1995 the Smithsonian Institution Press published her book, Poland 1946: the Photographs and Letters of John Vachon. She initiated Limón: a Life Beyond Words, researched archival materials, contacted the interview subjects, conducted most of the interviews, and collaborated on the treatment, script, and narration.

Jeff Levy-Hinte
Co-Producer

Director of Post 391, an AVID Editing facility in New York City, and a producer on High Art, Levy-Hinte was the editor on the acclaimed When We Were Kings, among other projects.

Aaron Dawley
Director of Photography

A graduate of the film program at SUNY/Purchase, Dawley works in various professional capacities in the film profession, primarily as grip or assistant cameraman, on independent feature films, music videos and PSA’s. He shot contemporary material for Limón: a Life Beyond Words, including interviews, rehearsals and performances.

Matthew Sigal
Sound Engineer

Sigal is a location sound mixer and sound engineer, who has worked on feature and documentary films, television, and commercials.

DVD copies for this program are currently available.
For more information, please visit www.limon.tv

About Us

Latino Public Broadcasting is the leader of the development, production, acquisition and distribution of non-commercial educational and cultural media that is representative of Latino people, or addresses issues of particular interest to Latino Americans. These programs are produced for dissemination to the public broadcasting stations and other public telecommunication entities. LPB provides a voice to the diverse Latino community on public media throughout the United States.